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Tuesday, December 20, 2011

The 3-Lens Solution

Be prepared to work in any situation with an efficient set of high-quality optics that covers the majority of focal lengths

This Article Features Photo Zoom

3-Lens Kit Solutions
For Full-Frame DSLRs (also can be used on APS-C DSLRs)	Elements/ Lens Groups	ED/ Aspher. Elements	Min. Focus Distance	Max. Magnif.	Filter Size	Dimensions (inches)	Weight (ounces)	Est. Street Price
Canon EF 16-35mm ƒ/2.8L II USM	16/12	2/3	11 in.	0.22X	82mm	3.5x4.4	22.4	$1,699
Canon EF 17-40mm ƒ/4L USM	12/9	1/3	10.8 in.	0.24X	77m	3.3x3.8	17.6	$839
Canon EF 24-70mm ƒ/2.8L USM	16/13	1/3	15 in.	0.29X	77mm	3.3x4.9	33.5	$1,399
Canon EF 70-200mm ƒ/2.8L IS II USM	23/19	6/0	3.9 ft.	0.21X	77mm	3.5x7.8	52.6	$2,499
Canon EF 70-200mm ƒ/2.8L USM	18/15	4/0	4.9 ft.	0.16X	77mm	3.3x7.6	34.6	$1,449
Canon EF 70-200mm ƒ/4L IS USM	20/15	3/0	3.9 ft.	0.21X	67mm	3.0x6.8	26.8	$1,349
Canon EF 70-200mm ƒ/4L USM	16/13	3/0	3.9 ft.	0.21X	67mm	3.0x6.8	25.0	$709
Nikon AF-S 14-24mm ƒ/2.8G ED	14/11	2/3	10.8 in.	0.15X	—**	3.8x5.2	34.2	$1,999
Nikon AF-S 16-35mm ƒ/4G ED VR	17/12	2/3	10.8 in.	0.25X	77mm	3.2x4.9	24.0	$1,259
Nikon AF-S 17-35mm ƒ/2.8D IF-ED	13/10	2/3	10.8 in.	0.22X	77mm	3.2x4.2	26.3	$1,955
Nikon AF-S 24-70mm ƒ/2.8D IF-ED	15/11	3/3	10.8 in.	0.27X	77mm	3.3x5.2	31.7	$1,889
Nikon AF-S 24-85mm ƒ/2.8-4D IF	15/11	Y*	14.4 in.	0.17X	72mm	3.1x3.2	19.2	$744
Nikon AF-S 70-200mm ƒ/2.8G ED VR II	21/16	7/0	4.6 ft.	0.25X	77mm	3.4x8.1	54.3	$2,399
Nikon AF 80-200mm ƒ/2.8D ED	16/11	3/0	4.9 ft.	0.24X	77mm	3.4x7.4	45.9	$1,225
Sigma 12-24mm ƒ/4.5-5.6 DG HSM II	17/13	5/4	11 in.	0.16X	—**	3.3x4.7	23.6	$829
Sigma 24-70mm ƒ/2.8 IF EX DG HSM	14/12	3/3	15 in.	0.19X	82mm	3.5x3.7	27.9	$899
Sigma 70-200mm ƒ/2.8 EX DG APO HSM II	18/15	4/0	39 in.	0.29X	77mm	3.4x7.3	48.3	$799
Sigma 70-200mm ƒ/2.8 EX DG OS HSM	22/17	5/0	55.1 in.	0.13X	77mm	3.4x7.8	50.4	$1,399
Sony Zeiss 16-35mm ƒ/2.8	17/13	2/3	11 in.	0.24X	77mm	3.4x4.5	30.3	$1,899
Sony Zeiss 24-70mm ƒ/2.8	17/13	2/2	11 in.	0.25X	77mm	3.3x4.4	35.1	$1,799
Sony 70-200mm ƒ/2.8 G-Series	19/16	4/0	11 in.	0.21X	77mm	3.5x7.8	45.8	$1,999
Tamron SP AF28-75mm ƒ/2.8 XR Di	16/14	Y*	13 in.	0.26X	67mm	2.9x3.6	18.0	$499
Tamron SP AF70-200mm ƒ/2.8 Di	18/13	NA	37.4 in.	0.32X	77mm	3.5x7.6	40.6	$769
Tokina AT-X 16-28mm ƒ/2.8 PRO FX	15/13	3/3	11 in.	0.19X	—**	3.5x5.3	33.5	$899
Tokina AT-X 17-35mm ƒ/4 PRO FX	13/12	2/1	11 in.	0.21X	82mm	3.5x3.7	21.1	$729
For APS-C DSLRs
Canon EF-S 10-22mm ƒ/3.5-4.5 USM	13/10	1/3	9.5 in.	0.17X	77mm	3.3x3.5	13.6	$859
Canon EF-S 17-55mm ƒ/2.8 IS USM	19/12	2/3	13.8 in.	0.17X	77mm	3.3x3.4	22.8	$1,179
Nikon AF-S DX 10-24mm ƒ/3.5-5.6G ED	14/9	2/3	9.5 in.	0.20X	77mm	3.3x3.4	16.2	$899
Nikon AF-S DX 12-24mm ƒ/4G IF-ED	11/7	2/3	12 in.	0.12X	77mm	3.2x3.5	16.4	$1,224
Nikon AF-S DX 17-55mm ƒ/2.8G IF-ED	14/10	3/3	14.4 in.	0.20X	77mm	3.4x4.4	26.6	$1,539
Pentax DA 12-24mm ƒ/4.0ED AL (IF)	13/11	½	12 in.	0.12X	77mm	3.3x3.4	15.2	$699
Pentax DA* 16-45mm ƒ/4.0 ED AL	13/11	½	12 in.	0.12X	77mm	3.3x3.4	15.2	$699
Pentax DA 12-24mm ƒ/4.0ED AL (IF)	13/11	½	11 in.	0.26X	67mm	2.8x3.6	12.9	$379
Pentax DA* 16-50mm ƒ/2.8 ED AL (IF) SDM	13/12	Y*	11.9 in.	0212X	77mm	3.3x3.9	19.8	$899
Pentax DA 17-70mm ƒ/4 AL (IF) SDM	17/12	Y*	11 in.	0.31X	67mm	3.0x3.7	17.1	$479
Pentax DA* 50-135mm ƒ/2.8 ED (IF) SDM	18/14	Y*	39.6 in.	0.17X	67mm	3.0x5.4	24.2	$899
Sigma 10-20mm ƒ/3.5 EX DC HSM	14/10	Y*	9.4 in.	0.15X	82mm	3.4x3.5	18.3	$649
Sigma 10-20mm ƒ/4-5.6 EX DC HSM	13/10	3/3	9.4 in.	0.15X	77mm	3.3x3.2	16.4	$479
Sigma 17-50mm ƒ/2.8 EX DC OS HSM	17/13	2/3	11 in.	0.20X	77mm	3.3x3.6	19.9	$669
Sigma 17-70mm ƒ/2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM	17/13	1/3	8.7 in.	0.37X	72mm	3.1x3.5	18.4	$469
Sigma 18-50mm ƒ/2.8-4.5 DC OS HSM	16/12	2/3	11.8 in.	0.24X	67mm	2.9x3.5	13.9	$199
Sigma 50-150mm ƒ/2.8 EX DC OS HSM	21/15	6/0	31.5 in.	0.16X	77mm	3.4x7.8	TBA	TBA
Sony DT 11-18mm ƒ/4.5-5.6	15/12	Y/3*	9.6 in.	0.13X	77mm	3.4x3.3	12.7	$699
Sony DT 16-50mm ƒ/2.8	16/13	Y*	12 in.	0.20X	72mm	3.3x3.5	20.4	$699
Tamron SP AF10-24mm ƒ/3.5-4.5 Di II	12/9	Y*	9.4 in.	0.20X	77mm	3.1x3.9	14.3	$499
Tamron SP AF17-50mm ƒ/2.8 XR Di II VC	19/14	Y*	11.4 in.	0.21X	72mm	3.1x3.7	20.2	$649
Tamron SP AF17-50mm ƒ/2.8 XR Di II	16/13	Y*	10.6 in.	0.22X	67mm	2.9x3.2	15.2	$499
Tokina AT-X 11-16mm ƒ/2.8 PRO DX	13/11	NA	11.7 in.	0.09X	77mm	3.3x3.5	19.7	$719
Tokina AT-X 12-24mm ƒ/4 PRO DX II	13/11	Y*	11.8 in.	0.13X	77mm	3.5x3.5	19.0	$599
Tokina AT-X 16.5-135mm ƒ/3.5-5.6 DX	15/9	2/3	19.7 in.	0.19X	77mm	3.5x3.1	21.5	$299
For Four Thirds System DSLRs
Olympus Zuiko Digital ED 7-14mm ƒ/4.0	18/12	Y*	9.8 in.	0.11X	—**	3.4x4.7	27.5	$1.799
Olympus Zuiko Digital ED 11-22mm ƒ/2.8-3.5	12/10	Y*	11 in.	0.13X	72mm	3.0x3.6	17.1	$799
Olympus Zuiko Digital ED 12-60mm ƒ/2.8-4.0 SWD	14/10	Y*	9.8 in.	0.28X	72mm	3.1x3.9	20.3	$999
Olympus Zuiko Digital ED 14-35mm ƒ/2.0 SWD	18/17	Y*	13.7 in.	0.12X	77mm	3.4x4.8	31.7	$2.299
Olympus Zuiko Digital ED 14-54mm ƒ/2.8-3.5	15/11	Y*	8.6 in.	0.26X	67mm	2.9x3.5	15.5	$599
Olympus Zuiko Digital ED 35-100mm ƒ/2.0	21/18	Y*	54.6 in.	0.09X	77mm	3.8x8.4	58.1	$2.499
Chart footnotes: *Y indicates that the lens has ED and/or Aspherical elements, but the manufacturers do not detail the specific number of those elements. **The lens is not threaded for filters.